Clothes clamping device and the like



Sept. 24, 1968 mvsmon Aabhh Ale/em A. MELETTI 3,402,437.

CLOTHES CLAMPING DEVICE AND THE LIKE Filed May 31, 1966 United States Patent 3,402,437 CLOTHES CLAMPING DEVICE AND THE LIKE Adolph Meletti, 6817 Lawnton St., Philadelphia, Pa. 19128 Filed May 31, 1966, Ser. No. 553,809 2 Claims. (Cl. 24-137) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE The present invention relates to a clamping device for securing articles to a line, and more particularly to a clothes clamping device for securing clothes to a clothes line and the like.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a substantially flat clothes clamping device of a clothes pin type article that comprises a plurality of depending fingers, legs or tongue members former integral with a cross piece member and in which the cross piece member and the legs or fingers are all disposed in the same plane.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a clothes pin type of device having a plurality of spaced depending legs or fingers in which one of the legs or fingers is of substantially greater length than the others.

It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a substantially flat clothes clamping device having a plurality of depending legs provided with recesses or grooves therein on diametrically opposed sides of the legs so that the clamping device may readily secure clothes to a line regardless of which side of the leg contacts the clothes line when the clamp is moved into a securing position.

It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a substantially thin fiat wafer type of clamping device that will occupy a minimum amount of space so that a greater number of clamping devices may be packed into a container and shipped to their point of use, then in a given space or container utilized heretofore.

It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a substantially fiat clamping or securing device for clamping clothes to a clothes line having a plurality of depending legs or fingers extending from oneside of a cross piece member and in which the fingers are provided with recesses or grooves therein disposed in the same plane, and in which some of the fingers are provided with beveled or inclined slots or grooves therein.

It is yet another object of the present invention to provide an economical and simple clothes clamping device that can be readily made in a single step molding operation using plastic material and the like if desired.

It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a substantially flat clothes clamping device provided with grooves in depending legs which extend from a cross piece member, and further having recess means therein for providing a sure grip on the clamping device when utilizing it to fasten or secure clothes to a clothes line.

In accordance with the present invention a clamping de vice is provided comprising elongated body portion means with leg means formed adjacent the opposite ends of the elongated body portion and extending at substantially right angles thereto so as to depend therefrom. The device further is provided with a central leg member or means formed with the intermediate portion of the elongated 3,402,437 Patented Sept. 24, 1968 body member and also extending at a substantially right angle with respect thereto and projecting between the other two leg means and in spaced relationship therewith. The device has the leg means disposed substantially parallel to one another and with each leg means trans versely reduced in thickness to provide a clothes line contact surface upon the diametrically opposed side faces of the device, so that positioning the clothes clamping device on to a clothes line permits the device to come into engagement in a tortuous path between the leg means on either side of the clamping device.

Various other objects and advantages of the present invention will be readily apparent from the following detailed description when considered in connection with the accompanying drawing forming a part thereof and in which:

FIGURE 1 is a view shown in side elevation of the clothes securing device embodying the present invention;

FIGURE 2 is a bottom view of the clamping device illustrated in FIGURE 1 further showing it utilized with a clothes line;

FIGURE 3 is a section taken along the line 3-3 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged detail view taken along the line 4-4 of FIGURE 1; and

FIGURE 5 is a perspective view of the clamping device embodying the present invention.

Referring to the drawings the reference numeral 10 generally designates the clothes pin type of clamping device embodying the present invention which is provided with a cross piece or elongated body portion 12 having a substantially flat bottom edge 14 and a parallel projecting central edge 16 with substantially flat edge portions 18 adjacent the central edge 16 and curving into arcuate portions 20.

The cross piece member 12 is provided with finger grip recesses 22 disposed in the opposite sides thereof so as to enable the user of the clamping device to readily grip the same and secure it to a clothes line without dropping it inadvertently.

The bottom edge 14 of the cross piece is provided with depending legs. tongues or fingers 24 extending therefrom. The middle portion of the bottom edge 14 is provided with a middle leg or finger 26 of substantially greater length than the two end legs 24 as best seen in FIGURES 1 and 5. The middle finger 26 is substantially rectangular in cross section and adjacent its side edges 28 and its opposite sides. The middle finger 26 is provided with a knurled horizontal recess 30 in its diametrically opposed sides 32. The recesses 30 are disposed adjacent the upper end of the leg 26 and adjacent the bottom edge 14 as best seen in FIGURE 1. The end legs 24 are about half the length of the middle leg 26 and these legs are also rectangular shape in cross section. The middle leg and the end leg are all disposed in the same plane as best seen in the bottom view shown and illustrated in FIG- URE 2.

The end legs 24 are provided with recesses extending horizontally adjacent the inner portion thereof and designated at 34. It will be noted that the recesses 34 are beveled, as best seen in FIGURE 3 and are in the same plane as the horizontal recesses 30 and the opposite side of the central or middle leg 26.

In operation, when it is desired to clamp 21 piece of clothing to a clothes line indicated at 36 in the drawings, the user of the clamping device grips the device by securing his index finger and thumb adjacent the recesses 22 in the cross piece or member. Then the clothes to be secured to the line is placed adjacent the clothes line 36 and the clamping device is forced over the clothes line so that the clothes line 36 will lie in the horizontal recess 30 in the 3 middle leg thereof with the other portions of the clothes line contacting the beveled recess 34 in the portions of the legs 24 diametrically opposed the portion of the clothes line lying in the recess 30. This is clearly illustrated in FIGURE 3. At this time the clothes will be securely clamped to the clothes line.

It will be noted that with the present invention a simple and inexpensive clamping device is provided that can be utilized regardless of which side of the middle leg and end legs contact the clothes line when the clamping device is secured in position.

Another feature of the present invention is the provision of the elongated central or middle leg so that the clamping device is easily manipulated into a clamping position.

It is also apparent from the foreging description that the present invention provides a wafer thin fiat clamping device which can be readily made from a simple plastic molding operation.

Inasmuch as various changes may be made in the relative arrangement and location of the parts without departing from the scope of the present invention, it is not meant to limit the invention except by the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A clothes pin for securing clothes to clothes line comprising an elongated, fiat, straight cross piece member of plastic material with two spaced end legs of equal length extending from the bottom edge thereof and on the extreme opposite ends of said cross piece member, a middle leg extending centrally from the middle portion of said member and in the same direction as said end legs and parallel to said end legs, said middle leg being substantially twice as long as said end legs, all of said legs and said cross member being coplanar and being of rectangular configuration in cross section, said legs having horizontal recesses in each of its opposite side faces contiguous to said bottom edge and said end leg recesses being beveled and extending half way across said side faces thereof.

2. The device of claim 1 wherein said cross piece member is provided with finger grip recesses in its opposite sides.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,309,971 2/1943 McLarn 24129 2,337,786 12/1943 Wassuman 24-13S 2,452,175 10/1948 Atkins 24137 2,543,336 2/1951 Ratchford 24-81 FOREIGN PATENTS 525,699 1921 France. 725,458 1932 France.

DONALD A. GRIFFIN, Primary Examiner. 

